On March 15, the third year of the Apocalypse, the sky was overcast and the north wind was cold.

The fire in Binh Duong Province burned for three days and three nights.

Before the city was broken, Lu Ruoqing and a few of his henchmen had escaped from the north, standing on a high place at the moment, looking south, there were fires everywhere, and the scorching heat made people desperate.

"It's not that we are greedy for life and afraid of death, but in order to save the people from fire and water, we waited to get out, if we can go north to Taiyuan Mansion to move to rescue the soldiers, we will definitely avenge the people who died in Pingyang Mansion in vain!"

Lu Ruoqing looked unusually angry, and under the reflection of the fire that rose to the sky in the distance, his face looked so hideous and red.

"My lord, let's go quickly," Shen Ji stood aside and shook his head: "Pingyang Mansion was breached, it's not our crime, it's actually that the thieves are too rampant, and the power is too strong, so we should go north as soon as possible and report this matter to the governor." ”

In any case, Pingyang Mansion has been captured, and Lu Ruoqing and others cannot escape the blame, and before the anger of Beijing City comes down, they must quickly throw away the responsibility.

"Let's go," hearing Shen Ji's voiceover, Lu Ruoqing's face changed slightly, and he raised his hand to wipe the sweat on his forehead: "I'll take the initiative to report it first!" ”

————

Beijing.

The day after Wang Tiqian returned to Beijing, he was summoned into the palace by the apocalypse for questioning.

Following behind the little father-in-law, Wang Tiqian walked briskly on the palace road, although there was a long wall, he still felt cold.

Wang Tiqian only felt that the winter of the third year of the Apocalypse was a long life.

"Xuansi Rite Supervisor Bingbi Wang Tiqian enters the palace to meet you!"

With the call of the little eunuch, Wang Tiqian bowed down and entered the hall.

"The minion Wang Tiqian greets the emperor!" Wang Tiqian knelt on the ground, trembling.

The gaze of the apocalypse on the dragon chair made it feel like a thorn in its back.

"It's been hard along the way," Tianqi gently tapped the jade case with Ruyi in his hand, making a crisp sound: "How are things going?" ”

"His Majesty Lao is worried, and the old slave is deeply frightened," thanked the emperor for the first sentence, and then Wang Tiqian spoke: "In accordance with Your Majesty's will, the old slave went to Zhucheng to convey the will to the Duke of Qi."

Tianqi closed the notebook on the table, looked at Wang Tiqian, and waited quietly for his next sentence.

"Duke Qi obeyed His Majesty's request and agreed to choose an auspicious day in the palace to marry Princess Ningde!" On the way back, Wang Tiqian had already decided how to reply to the emperor.

Qi Guogong's sentence that the world is divided into four parts and the society is in chaos cannot be said, so he can only hide it and listen to what the emperor likes to hear.

As long as the Duke of Qi agrees to get married in May, the major event can be decided.

Sure enough, Zhu Youxiao heard Wang Tiqian's answer, and his originally tense face immediately flashed with an irrepressible smile: "He agreed?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty's words, Qi Guogong does agree to this marriage." Wang Tiqian's answer was categorical.

"Hmm" seemed to be a little uneasy, Zhu Youxiao asked, "Didn't he make any requests?" For example, the power of the army? ”

Military power?

Wang Tiqian recalled what he said at the wine table that day, Wang Qi's sentence: Liaodong soldiers and horses, except for this king, no one can control them.

That's a naked threat.

But what can you say to Zhu Youxiao?

If these words are spoken, I don't know if there will be a bloody storm in the imperial court, but I will definitely die.

The corners of his mouth moved slightly, and Wang Tiqian said after a while: "Your Majesty, Qi Guogong only said one word about military power. ”

"Huh?"

"The soldiers of the world, Gai Mo is out of the name of the court, the people of the world, Gai Mo is out of the hands of His Majesty, whether it is the soldiers of Liaodong or the soldiers of the Quartet of the world, they are all in the hands of His Majesty, and there is no one who does not obey, and Qi Guogong himself is no exception."

Wei Zhongxian, who was standing not far from Zhu Youxiao, heard Wang Tiqian's words, and his brows wrinkled subconsciously: The dignified Duke of Qi, if he could say such a thing, he would not have done that kind of slap in the face of the court outside Xuzhou Mansion that day.

Now that you are in Zhucheng, can you suddenly soften?

Are you kidding!

Thinking of this, Wei Zhongxian glanced at Zhu Youxiao on the throne: This master shouldn't be fooled, right?

I saw Zhu Youxiao on the throne, and when he heard Wang Tiqian's words, he nodded thoughtfully: "It seems that he also knows that the power of heaven is unpredictable!" Without the imperial court, without me, without the protection of the ancestors, can he Qi Guogong complete the great cause of sweeping away Jiannu and pacifying Liaodong? I hope he won't forget that he is from a hundred households, give him a chance, so that he can rise to the top and have the status he has now! ”

"Wei Zhongxian," suddenly, Zhu Youxiao opened his mouth and called Wei Zhongxian's name.

Wei Daban, who was shaking his head helplessly on the side, heard the emperor calling him, and immediately bowed forward: "The slave is here!" ”

"In conjunction with the Ministry of Rites, before April, the entire wedding process will be given to me," Zhu Youxiao got up and paced in the main hall, holding his hands behind his back and chanting: "Before that, I will join the Ministry of War, and a few henchmen, and begin to secretly take over the military power of the Duke of Qi!" ”

The wedding of the Duke of Qi and Princess Ningde is just a gimmick, the real purpose is to press the powerful Duke of Qi to the cities with lightning speed after the wedding, so that he can understand - what is called turning his hands into clouds and covering his hands into rain!

Wei Zhongxian and Wang Tiqian, who were on the side, glanced at each other, and then said in unison: "The slave obeys the order!" ”

At this moment, there was a sudden sound of footsteps outside the hall, and the little eunuch bowed down and reported: "Your Majesty, the head of the cabinet is asking Gao to see you!" ”

"Ye Xianggao, what is he doing here?" Zhu Youxiao was a little puzzled, since Zhu Youxiao started all the actions against Wang Qi, Ye Xianggao, Wang Huazhen, Lu Yu and others took the initiative to write to avoid the position, wanting to withdraw from the court battle.

Ye Xianggao read ten times in a row in a month and returned to his hometown.

However, Zhu Youxiao looked at the face of the old minister, and at the same time wanted to show his friendship between the monarch and the minister, so he didn't agree immediately.

Did you come here today to continue begging?

"Xuan him in," Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and returned to the dragon chair.

And Wei Zhongxian and Wang Tiqian also stood silently aside.

After a while, Ye Xianggao, who was dressed in vermilion purple, stepped into the hall: "Minister Ye Xianggao, meet Your Majesty, long live!" ”

"Aiqing is exempt," Zhu Youxiao waved his hand indifferently: "Aiqing has been unwell recently, and I have already issued a decree, if there is nothing important, there is no need to enter the palace, what is the matter recently?" ”

Zhu Youxiao's current actions are already obvious, transferring Sun Chuanting, Hong Chengchou, Shi Kefa, Yang Changsi and others to Beijing, and they have all placed key positions, that is, to go to the elders, rectify the imperial court, and hold the power tightly in their own hands.

Ye Xianggao and other veteran ministers, veterans of the Three Dynasties, Zhu Youxiao has begun to subconsciously reject.

"The Yamen of the General Administration Office received the transcript of Lu Ruoqing, the prefect of Pingyang Mansion in Shanxi today, and the minister thinks that it is better to ask Your Majesty!" Ye Xiang bowed.

Zhu Youxiao, an old minister, wanted to exclude himself from the imperial court, and he was also ready.

However, the rebellious people in Shanxi broke Pingyang Mansion.

Let Ye Xianggao see the hope of counterattacking.

After all, historical experience tells us that as long as there is a war and a disaster, everyone must act according to Wang Qi's face!

(End of chapter)